Process of making nitrogen compounds.



UNITED sria rns PATENT oFFioE.

OTTO FRANK AND OSKAR FINCKE, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

1,101,424. No Drawing.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that We, Orro FRANK and OSKAR Fmcxs, both subjects of the German Emperor, and residents of Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Making Nitroplurality of metals which the parts are given by gen Compounds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process for manufacturing a fertilizing agent with the aid of the nitrogen of the airwhich process ischaract-erized in that the nitrogen of the air, after the previous removal of the oxygen, is introduced into a heated mixture of one or more bases and a plurality of metals, and combines therewith to produce nitrogen com-pounds.

Now it-has been found that, when nitro. gen is caused to act upon bases and metals and when only one base and one metal are employed, the absorption of the nitrogen takes place only in -a limited quantity or not at 'all, the reason being perhaps that in such cases the material under treatment melts easily, while, when one or more bases and a are employed well mixed together, a very ener etic absorption takes place and the mass. goes not'melt but remains in the state of powder. As readily seen it is thus possible to accelerate the formation" of nitrid by making use of a mixture. of bases 'and metals because in this manner the melting of the mass is prevented. Mixtures which are suitable for this purpose are the following :-silicon, iron and lime; or silicon, ironand barium oxid; or iron, silicon, magnesia and .lime;

although other similar mixtures may be em- I ployed if desired.

A particularly favorable mixture for use in carrying out this process may consist of 1 part by weight of iron, 5

parts by weight of freshly calcined dolomitic limestone, and 3; part by weight of amorphous silicon. an equal weight of amorphous boron may be employed. For further illustrating my process the following example is given, in we ght: 3 parts of silicon, 2 parts of iron, and '8 parts of lime are heated to 700 (1, and a current Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 10,1912 Serial No. 676,844.

In place of the silicon,

PROCESS OF MAKING NITROGEN COMPOUNDS.

Patented June 23, 1911.

of nitr gen is passed into contact therewith, while said mixture is being heated to 1000 (1., a mixture including Ca' FeN and (la si FeN is produced. In this example a suitable amount of reducing agent obviously should be employed, to combine with the oxygen content of the lime. In' this example a part of the lime may be replaced, by other alkaline earth metal oxid, such as magnesium oxid, or in place of pure lime, dolomitic lime may be employed.

As readily seen, the nitrogen compounds.

of calcium and iron,'or calcium, silicon and iron, or calcium These are powder-like materials which are not hygroscopic, do not produce dust, have no poisonous effects, either onplants or animals, and which yield their nitrogen gradually to the soil, and consequently are valuable for use as fertilizers. v I

In the appended claims, the term metal is intended to cover, together with such substances as are ordinarily referred to as metals, such substances as which are capable of forming stable nitrids. which closely resemble nitrids of metals such as iron and aluminum. The ex ression mixture of metals likewise inclu es mix- .tures containing silicon, boron a'nd the like.

What we claim is v l. A process of producing nitrogen com- I pounds which comprises treating a mixture ncluding a plurality of nitrid-forming metals in elementary form, and an oxid of an alkaline earth metal with nitrogen gas, at a'temperature of at least 700 C., in the presence of a reducing agent. i

2. A process of pounds which comprises-treating a mixtureincluding elementary silicon and iron and dolomitic lime, with nitrogen gas at a temperature between 700 C. and a white heat, in the presence of a reducing agent,

and silicon are obtained.

sllicon and boron,

producing nitrogen com-- In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

OTTO FRANK. OSKAR FIN CKE. Witnesses llnxRY l-lAsPE lVoLmnLul Harri. 

